


• Sunflower • Hinata Shoyo x Reader

by carlyandcarson33



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Other, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28865775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carlyandcarson33/pseuds/carlyandcarson33
Summary: A lonely girl. A wild boy. A bike crash, a sunflower, and two lives changed forever.(Hinata Shoyo x Female Reader)
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

"We're getting old," your grandma sighs, referring to her prized sunflower outside the window, "I can tell the weather's wearing us both. Just look at the drooping petals." She tsks, clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth.

"You're both still beautiful, Grandma," you say as you drape a blanket over her shoulders.

"Oh, well," She laughs, her frail body shaking from the effort, "flattery will get you nowhere now-a-days."

Her laugh turns into a cough: rasping, jerking her body forward.

The sound makes your heart wrench.

You frown, grabbing your bag and the keys to the house, "Now remember, if something happens just call the neighbors. It will take ten minutes tops."

She smiles, the movement enhancing the wrinkles around her eyes. "Bye, Dear. Hurry back, and don't worry so much."

You wave to her, shutting the front door and locking it behind you.

How can I not worry?

There's something wrong with your grandma; you know there is, but she refuses to go to the doctor. She has sudden coughing fits and can't sleep at night, so she always stays by her chair at the window, dozing off whenever she's tired.

You love her with all your heart. She took care of you when your parents died, so you have to return the favor, even if it means missing school. 

You dropped out a few years ago, and have been studying by yourself for a long time. Multiple people, who you assume are child service agents of some sort, have visited the house. They always try to convince you to go back to school, but you ignore them and don't answer the door.

You hate leaving Grandma alone for even ten minutes to get groceries; you can't even imagine leaving for eight hours a day.

You sigh, pushing open the door to Sakanoshita. It's small and quaint little store, perfect for a quick in-and-out run.

There's no one in the store; just the same middle-aged man that runs the counter. He's smoking, but always puts it out when you walk in. He gives you a small wave, smiling slightly.

He doesn't know you're a dropout, or that you're living alone with no one but your ill grandmother. However he does know that you're a minor and you never visit with any adult, and you're a very frequent customer, so he does give you a student discount (although you aren't one). 

He probably knows what's up, but he hasn't reported you or said anything, so you have a great deal of respect for the man.

You grab the usuals: a gallon of milk, bread, and a few frozen dinners. You walk up to the counter, placing the items in front of the man.

He names the price and you pay him, placing most of your money on the counter. The student discount won't do much good if you're running out of money.

"Do you have any meat buns left?" You ask quietly. 

"Last three," The man says, placing three in front of you, "on the house."

"Thanks," you mutter, taking the items. He must've noticed you're short on cash.

You leave the store, the heat of the afternoon burning down on you. As you leave, you notice a man standing near the door, peeking inside the store.

He has messy dark hair and glasses and, despite the heat, is wearing a green jacket and pants. He looks young, probably just a friend of the owner.

You dismiss the sighting and head back home, the enticing smell of meat buns accompanying you on your way.

✿ 

"Grandma, I'm home," you say, unlocking the door and walking in. You set the groceries on the kitchen counter, then head to the living room where Grandma sits.

She's clutching her blanket, eyes closed and drifting to sleep. You don't want to disturb her, so you start on your chores.

You go outside and grab the watering can, filling it to the brim with water.

It's a simple garden, located in the front yard, that grows mostly squash, watermelons, and a few tomatoes. You're proud of it, nonetheless.

You water the smaller plants, then carefully step around the watermelons to the sunflower bed.

Out of everything you and Grandma have planted, the sunflowers are your pride and joy. They're all taller than you, the tallest one being seven feet high. That's your award winner; second place in the fair two years ago. 

You've managed to keep animals and birds, such as crows, away from the garden, at least you have so far. 

The garden is one of your favorite places to be. It brings back memories of before Grandma was ill, and the atmosphere is splendid. Calm and quiet-

CRASH!

You spin around, the noise surprising you and making you spill the rest of your water. You jump up, running towards the accident.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?"

You rush to the orange-haired boy, not sure what to do. He was on a bike and crashed, head first, into a pole, and landed in a group of rose bushes.

He looks up at you, and his nose is bleeding. He has scratches everywhere, and one long scrape against his left cheek. Thorns are even stuck in his clothes. 

You help him up, and his face is completely red. He's trying to say something, but he keeps stuttering. 

"Let's go inside," you say, holding his hand, "I can patch you up. That was a nasty crash."

He nods and follows you to your house, holding his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding. You open the door and head inside, the boy trailing behind you. 

Your grandma's asleep, so you hold a finger to your lips, telling the boy to be quiet. He looks confused but nods again. 

You sit him down on a chair at the kitchen table and bring him some paper towels and band-aids. He mumbles a thank you, avoiding your gaze, and setting down a book bag you hadn't noticed before.

When his nose stops bleeding and the blush leaves his face, you take in his appearance. His hair is wild, and he's wearing a black jacket with black shorts. He looks your age.

"There's a scratch on your cheek," you say, leaning closer to him with a band-aid in hand. 

He starts blushing again.

His eyes-

-are the most beautiful you've ever seen

A mix of gold and brown, they're a perfect contrast to his wild, orange hair and fair skin. 

You carefully place the band-aid on his scratch, not breaking eye contact.

His eyes are enchanting and passionate.

"Uh-uhm. . ."

You realize your hand was cupped around his cheek, and you quickly pull away, your face starting to heat up.

"You're all bandaged up," you say nervously, "I hope you get better."

You get him and open the front door for him, but he stops and bows.

"Thank you," he stutters, then straightens back up, "I'm Shoyo! Hinata Shoyo!"

You wave him goodbye, his name not leaving your mind.

Shoyo. 

Hinata Shoyo.

✿


	2. Change with the Wind

As Shoyo leaves, pulling his bike out of the rosebush and waving you goodbye, you notice the back of his jacket.

Karasuno Volleyball Club.

Karasuno High?

That's where you would've went to school if you didn't drop out. You wonder what it's like.

Shoyo gives you one last wave before climbing on his bike and speeding away. 

That was the first time you've spoken to someone besides your Grandma or the counter guy, you almost wish he would come back. 

You sigh and head back inside.

You plop down on the chair Shoyo sat on, then something next to your foot catches your eye.

He left his bag.

It's a light brown over-the-shoulder bag and you refrain from opening it. It's probably just school stuff, anyway.

How will you find him again? You can't just steal his bag; it seemed important.

Karasuno Volleyball Club.

You could go to the school and find him. It shouldn't be too hard, as he doesn't seem like a very forgettable person, with his unruly hair and short stature. 

But would anyone try to make you re-enroll? None of the teachers should know you anyways, so probably not?

You walk back to check on your grandma and ask for advice, and she's awake, which surprises you. "Who was that boy?" She smirks.

"Oh," you stutter, "he crashed his bike in front of the house. His nose was bleeding, so. . ."

"It's fine," your grandma says, "he sounded young and harmless."

You sit on the couch next to Grandma's chair. "Sorry."

"What're you apologizing for?" She chuckles, "You're going to have to talk to people someday. I know you avoid strangers as much as you can, so maybe this boy's a blessing in disguise."

"You talk as if I'm going to see him again," you sigh. 

"You talk as if you want to see him again," Grandma smirks.

"Well, he left his bag here."

"So? Return it."

"I can't leave you alone," you say, turning to face your grandma. "And I'd have to go to the school. What if something happens?"

"Yes, but what if something happens?"

You look at her quizzically. 

"Live your life, darling," she sighs, "I've trapped you here so long. I can't bear seeing you like this."

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"You're such a terrible liar; I know you're just scared. Scared of things changing."

You sit in silence. 

"Welcome change," your grandma laughs, "Instead of thinking 'what if something happens?' think 'what if something happens?'. " 

"Change is a beautiful thing, dear. How else would a caterpillar become a butterfly? A young bird learn to fly?"

"Okay," you say, your grandmother's words sinking in. "I'll find him."

✿

Yesterday, a boy by the name of Shoyo crashed his bike in front of your house.

Today? You're going to Karasuno High School to find him and return his book bag.

"It'd be better to catch him after school," your grandmother said, "He's in the volleyball club, so he should have practice. Just find the gym and return it."

And now, here you are, going to a school you've never been to. An adventure it will be.

"I'll be back soon, Grandma. It won't take long. Okay?"

"Okay, Darling. Come home soon-"

She launches into another coughing fit, and once she stops you lift a cup to her lips.

"Just drink a lot of water. It'll only take a few minutes. The school isn't that far from here."

You wave at her as you leave, ignoring your gut feeling that something is going to go wrong. 

You climb on your bike and start to ride in the direction of the school, passing neighbors' houses and Sakanoshita Market. 

You feel the wind through your hair, like it's telling you to turn back, but you continue, feeling a small sense of rebellion growing. For once, you're going against the world's expectations of a shy person like you, finally changing with the wind.

It changes direction, as if pushing you on, saying keep going, good things are ahead.

And that feeling of dread is gone.

✿

You lock your bike to a pole, then turn in the direction of the front gates.

The school ten times bigger than your house, and you can't help but feel a sense of claustrophobia as you push through the crowd or students leaving for the day. You tap a guy on the shoulder, and he turns to you. 

"Whaddya want?" He snaps, staring you down.

"Nevermind, s-sorry," you mutter, quickly walking away, heart pounding. You want to leave, to run away and hide, but Grandma would be disappointed. You remember the wind and the rebellious side of you.

You muster up more courage and this time you tap a girl who looks older than you.

"Oh?" She says, much nicer than the guy from before.

"Could you point me in the direction of the gym, please?"

"Sure," she smiles, pointing to her right. 

You thank her quietly then head that way, letting out a breath you didn't realize you were holding. It's going better than you expected; at least you haven't gotten lost yet. 

Ahead is a large metal building, and as you get closer you can hear shouts from inside. Volleyballs colliding with the court, and shouts and laughs come from inside.

You grasp Shoyo's bag in your hand. 

Change is a good thing, you tell yourself, change is a good thing.

You knock on the large door, repeating your grandma's words like a mantra in your head.

✿


	3. Karasuno Volleyball Club

You knock on the large door, one hand grasping Shoto's bag around your shoulder. There's a loud creak as the door opens, revealing a girl with short blonde hair.

"H-hello?" She stutters, taking in your appearance.

You blush in embarrassment. You probably look awful right now; you haven't been clothes shopping in ages and you're not even wearing a school uniform.

"Hi," you smile, "I'm looking for someone by the name of Shoyo?"

"Hinata!" A boy with a buzz-cut shouts, popping out of nowhere, "Do you know this girl? She's pretty cute-!"

An older-looking brown haired boy appears behind him, bonking him on the head. "Stop being inappropriate."

You shrink back, both hands clutching the bag now. "I-I just want to return something he left at my house-"

"Oooh so you've been going to a girl's house, Hinata? Is that why you were late to practice?~" Buzz-cut boy laughs, earning another bonk from the older one.

"I was late because I couldn't find my bag--" Shoyo comes to the door, spotting you and his bag in your hand, "O-oh!"

You hand it to him, blushing. "You left this yesterday after the crash. It looks important so. . ."

"Yes, thank you!" Shoyo coos, shifting through the stuff in the bag, a smile stretched across his face. 

You notice he still has the same band-aid on his face. Did he not change it. . . ?

"Well, I'd better go," you say, starting to turn around. As you walk away, you hear voices taunt Shoyo.

"Awe, Hinata, tell your girlfriend to come back!"

"Sh-she's not my. . . !"

"Oi Dumbass! Stop messing around and get back here!"

"You really think he could get a girlfriend in the first place?"

Then the door closes, muffling the voices to unintelligible shouts. 

You feel the wind again, contrasting to the heat of yesterday, ruffling your hair as if saying good job.

You feel a strange sense of content, for some strange reason. All you did was return an item to its owner.

But the smile on his face when he got it back was worth it.

And then, that feeling disappears, instead replaced by loneliness. A longing to smile with friends and laugh like you did in junior high.

Loneliness, like a pit in your stomach, eating away the little that's left of you.

You ignore it and decide to head home, unchaining your bike from the pole and hopping on, riding away, thinking about everything other than how you feel.

✿

You get off your bike, leaning it against the front porch, taking a quick glance at the garden. Grandma was right; it looks sadder than usual.

You grab the watering can, the setting sun glinting off the peeling red paint, and fill it up. You repeat the same process you have for years, watering and searching for ripe tomatoes. You're right by Grandma's window; you're going to wave to her but you stop.

Muffled crying drifts through the thin glass, making your heart drop.

You crouch below the window, listening in on your grandma's sobs.

"I-I've done this to her, haven't I?" She whispers to herself, unaware you're listening in, "Oh God, I know I have. She's so fragile now, scared of interaction. What's going to happen when I'm gone? Who will take care of her?"

"I'm all she has left, and she's broken because of it."

You creep away, her words wearing on your heart, carving themselves into your mind. 

She thinks you're broken? Fragile?

You stand up, eyes teary. You run to the front and hop on your bicycle, not sure what to do, where to go, what to think.

You pedal without thinking. Faster, faster, faster, away.

The wind is cold, the night air giving you goosebumps. You stop.

What am I doing?

You left her. It's nighttime; the sky is dark, and you left her.

She's all you have and you left her. 

Tears stream down your face, and you hurriedly wipe them away, looking at your surroundings. Out of all the places you could've gone. 

And you're at Sakanoshita Market.

The lights are still on, and you can see that same blond man, reading a newspaper at the counter. 

Should you go in?

You get off your bike, not bothering to chain it up, and push open the door, the soft background music immediately reaching your ears. You take a deep breath, hoping your eyes aren't too red from crying.

You didn't bring any money; you'll just use the bathroom and leave, you think, passing the man at the counter, avoiding eye contact.

But the ringing of the bell above the door stops you, and you turn around. 

There stands buzz-cut boy, a tall dark haired one, and Shoyo.

"You kids again?" The guy at the counter says, tossing them all a packaged treat. "Just get outta here."

You hold back a laugh at the scene infront of you, instead wiping your face some more.

They turn to you, and you look away.

"Hey Hinata," Buzz-cut boy says, pointing your way, "isn't that your girlfriend?"

"I don't have a girl--" Shoyo says, turning to you, "Oh hey!"

"H-hi," you stutter, not expecting to see him here at this hour. You hope it's not obvious you were crying.

"Are you crying?" Shoyo asks, coming closer. His two friends look at each other.

"I'm fine," you lie, faking a smile. "I just came here to use the bathroom."

You point behind you, and he blushes. "O-oh, sorry. I just didn't get to thank you."

"It's okay," you laugh nervously, "It wasn't a big deal."

"No really!" He says, smiling, "I owe you one!"

"Leave her alone, dumbass," the dark-haired boy pipes in, "she's got to use the bathroom."

You glace at the owner of the store, watching the scene amusingly from his counter. You sigh, running away into the safety of the bathroom.


	4. Going Home

You splash cold water on your face, sighing. You don't want to go back out there; you can still hear Shoyo and his friends' mindless chatter, and you just feel awkward around them.

You turn off the water, taking a deep breath, and leave the bathroom. The atmosphere of the store is the same as you left it: the boys munching on their treats, the owner of the store sitting at his counter, shooing them away.

"It's late," he mumbles mostly to himself, "don't kids these days have a curfew?"

"He's right," Shoyo's dark-haired friend says, "It is getting late."

All the boys turn to you.

"It isn't really safe for you to go home alone," buzz-cut boy smiles, "I can walk you!"

You shrink back. "Sorry, but I think it'd be worse going with a stranger."

"I'm Tanaka," he says, wrapping an arm around the dark-haired boy, "and this here is Kageyama."

Kageyama shrugs off Tanaka's arm, then grumbles to himself. "I'm going home."

Kageyama leaves, and Tanaka sighs. "Well I can't just let him go by himself either."

You're quiet.

"I-" Shoyo stutters, "I'll take her! I know where she lives, anyways."

You sigh with relief, glad you don't have to go with the older-looking-Tanaka boy, although he did make a good point about a girl walking home alone; he can't be all that bad.

"Well, then," Tanaka smirks, "See ya! Don't be late to practice again, or Daichi will hang your ass."

Shoyo nods, and you watch as the two boys leave. You turn to the orange-haired boy, and notice he's blushing, which makes you blush too.

"My bike is outside," you say to him, opening the door. 

"Oh! You have one too?" He smiles, following you outside.

"Yeah."

You grab the handlebars and roll your bike beside you, not sure what to say to the boy. 

"So," you start, "you play volleyball?"

Even in the darkness of the night, you can see Shoyo's eyes light up. He nods enthusiastically. 

"Everyone thinks I can't because I'm not as tall as them," he says, clenching his fist, "but I'll show them. I'll be the next Tiny Giant!"

You didn't really notice his height before; yes, it's below average for a boy, but you're not much taller than him. As you look at him, you notice he has his bag with him. You smile.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight," you quote, "but the size of fight in the dog."

"Where'd you hear that?" Shoyo asks, intrigued. 

"A book," you say, "let's just say I have a lot of free time, so they're one of my favorite past times."

"Oh, cool," Shoyo exclaims, "Where do you go to school? You live pretty close to Karasuno, but I haven't seen you around."

You kick a rock along the sidewalk. It's weird, but you feel like you can trust this strange, wild boy.

"I don't go."

For a short moment, the night is silent, the only sound being footsteps and crickets. 

"That must be why your garden looks so awesome," Shoyo says, breaking the silence, "You must spend a lot of time taking care of it."

"Oh yeah!" You say happily, delighted he noticed. "The sunflowers are especially beautiful. You should see them. They're taller than me, even."

"I only got a glance last time I visited, but it looked great from what I saw!"

"Well," you laugh, "it wasn't really a visit, per-se." You point to the band-aid on his cheek.

Shoyo blushes, cupping his hand around it. "I-I swear my foot just slipped off the pedal--!"

"Yeah, and massacred my neighbor's roses in the process."

"L-look, we're here," he points at your house, changing the subject. The porch light is on, and your grandma stands by the door.

Your heart drops. You left her.

That feeling returns, creeping through you like poison. You don't want Shoyo to see you like this.

"Oh I can see the sunflowers!" Shoyo says, pointing in the direction of the garden. 

"Please leave," you reply, a little harsher than you mean to.

"Can I see them though? I bet--"

"Please!" You snap.

You turn to him and he looks hurt, but he nods. You try to fix it. "Y-you can come over tomorrow to see them, just not. . .now."

"Okay."

And with that, he leaves you. You turn back to the porch, that sinking, poisonous feeling flooding your mind. It dissolves into tears, manifesting your feelings into droplets that fall down your cheeks.

"Grandma, I'm sorry," you sob, crying again, running into her arms.

"It's okay, Dear," she whispers, holding you tight. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I-I left you alone," you say between cries, "I just ran away--"

"But you came back, and that's enough. Let's go inside."

You follow her back into the house, and watch as she slips back into her chair, huffing from the effort of walking so far. 

"Please," she asks, "fetch me some water."

And so you do, the day playing over and over again in your head.

✿


	5. Smile

It's like the sun knows you feel down. 

It's shining brighter than ever today, like it's trying to distract you from your guilt and regret. Swirling thoughts of emotion like a tornado in your head, destroying everything in its path in reckless abandon.

Your life is so simple, so why does it feel so complicated?

You go out into the garden. Your happy place. Your refuge. It's beautiful, ever changing. You wish you were like a garden, but all you can do is marvel in the miracle of nature. The tomatoes are getting ripe; you'll probably pick them soon. 

"I can't eat them all by myself," you say to yourself, testing your voice on the wind.

"You could sell them!" 

You gasp, jumping backwards at the voice that came out of nowhere. "Sh-Shoyo?"

The shorter boy smiles. "You could sell them! The tomatoes, I mean."

"W-well," you stutter, "where'd you come from? Why are you here?"

"Yesterday you said I could come over tomorrow," he explains, "and today is tomorrow, because you said it yesterday so that makes today--"

You laugh. 

Why did he come back? Even after you yelled at him?

"I get it," you say, pointing to the path that leads to the flowers, "You wanted to see the sunflowers, right? They're over here."

You both walk along the dirt path, your heart beating faster than normal for some reason, when Shoyo stops.

"Woooaaahh!"

He runs up to the tallest sunflower, your prize winner, and stares up at it. He looks even shorter compared to the giant flower.

"If only I was that tall!" He grumbles.

You giggle. "No crows by the sunflowers, Shoyo." He seems to not have heard you.

"Maybe I can. . . " 

He mumbles to himself then jumps, raising his hand, and grazing the top of the sunflower, his eyes alight in wonder.

Amazing.

You're not sure which seems more unreal; the boy who's clinging to you or the fact that he hasn't left you yet. It makes him all the more mysterious.

It's like he hovers in the air, then he falls to the ground, landing on his behind.

"Are you okay?" You ask him, offering your hand to help him up.

He takes it, blushing. "Yeah."

"Oh!" He exclaims, "That reminds me! Do you want to come to my volleyball game tomorrow?"

"Volleyball game?" 

"Yeah! We're playing Nekoma!"

You smile. "I'll have to think about it."

You haven't heard of Nekoma, but they must be good if Shoyo is so excited. Honestly, it seems like he'd be excited for any volleyball game, good opponent or not. 

He smiles, but you can sense his disappointment. You want to console him, to hug him. Maybe you will go, although you know nothing about volleyball or sports whatsoever. 

Wait, hug?

You notice your heart, beating erratically again. But it's different this time, like . . . like you--

You hear a sigh and look up, noticing that the wild boy is staring at you, the smile a ghost on his face. He turns his head sideways, like a confused puppy. You get the feeling like he can see the deepest parts of you. Like he's staring through the walls you've built. You smile, hoping to distract him from what he might see. 

What he sees anyways.

"You always smile like you're going to cry," Shoyo mumbles, no longer smiling himself.

"Wh-what?"

"It makes me sad," he explains, his fists clenched at his sides, "to see you sad. So I hope that you'll come and watch . . . "

You act on your former urge to hug him, your arms wrapping around his warm body. He stiffens up but doesn't push you away.

You do it instead, letting go of him but not taking a step back. 

"Why do you smell like bubblegum?" You tease.

He's already blushing, but his face seems to grow hotter. "I-I was out of shampoo and had to use Natsu's--!"

"Who's Natsu?"

"She's my little sister," he grumbles.

You giggle, instinctively bringing your hand to your mouth. You notice Shoyo isn't laughing. Instead he has that puppy dog look in his eyes. 

"Don't hide it," he whispers, placing a hand on your wrist, "don't hide your smile."

You bring your hand down, blushing. He let's go of you, blushing himself.

"Ah! Sorry!" He apologizes, "I don't know what came over me I just--"

"It's fine." You say. 

And then you smile.

And he smiles. 

And you feel like nothing else in the world matters but putting a smile on that boy's face.

✿


	6. You Don't Need Wings to Fly

You shift on your feet nervously, fiddling with the pack of bandages in your hand. It's brand new, so Shoyo shouldn't have an excuse to not change the one he has. Silly boy.

The only thing is, when you went to Sakanoshita earlier to buy them, the store owner wasn't there. Instead, an energetic guy with glasses was at the counter. You also learned the owner's name: Ukai. You hope nothing happened to him. 

You shake your head, looking around your room for anything you might need. Money, possibly? Nah, you don't have much to spend anyways, and you can't imagine spending money on anything from a concession stand or such. 

You take one last glance in the mirror, wondering what people wear to volleyball games. Surely nothing fancy, right? 

Your wardrobe is limited, so you're wearing just a simple, comfy hoodie and some decent looking leggings. Too casual? Is it not casual enough?

"Grandma," you say, stuffing the pack of band-aids in your hoodie pocket, "what do you think? Does it look okay for something like this?"

Your grandma smiles, the action bringing out the wrinkles around her eyes. "Yes, dear, now go. You wouldn't want to be late, now, would you?"

You nod enthusiastically, forgetting your worries from moments before. Even if you are nervous, you feel a sense of pride in leaving the house for something other than groceries. 

You wave her goodbye, leaving through the front door and locking the door. You and your grandma don't have phones, so you feel like it's safer that way.

Of course, you've never needed phones before, because grandma has always been right next to you. 

But now, you're alone. You can do this. You ignore the guilt you feel from leaving her.

You hop on your bike, taking one last glance at your prize-winning sunflower. The cold wind clips at your skin, urging you to go on.

You clench your fist, then head to Karasuno Highschool.

✿

The determination and confidence you had moments ago are long gone. They've run away just like the cat you had in 5th grade.

Your shaking hands lock your bike to a pole, then retreat to the safety of your hoodie pocket, where you can feel the pack of band-aids.

The school isn't as full as is was when you first visited, and thankfully you remember where the gym is, so you put your head down and walk that way. 

You release a breath you didn't realize you were holding when you reach the doors without any interruptions. 

Unlike your cat from 5th grade, you can feel that sense of pride returning.

You push open the door, the scene making you take that breath back in.

The place is full of people you've never seen before; students, mostly, but some adults cheer for their kids from the stands. Nobody's on the court yet, which is good, since it means you're on time. The teams are gathered around a few benches at the side of the court.

You spot a head of tangerine hair among blue and orange jerseys, so you assume the people dressed in red are the team Shoyo called Nekoma. 

What should you do? Go over to them? Sit in the stands with the rest of the crowd? But who will you sit with?

Instead of making a choice, you stand at the entrance awkwardly, avoiding everyone. 

Until a certain boy with a buzz-cut appears in front of you with a smirk on his face.

"Ooh, you're Hinata's girlfriend!" He says, as if just remembering you. You can't blame him, though; you're not that memorable, and you can't recall his name either.

He crosses him arms and straightens his posture. "You know," he brags, "I'm not that bad a player myself."

What was his name?

"What do you mean?" You ask, not as shy as before. Honestly, his tough demeanor is kind of growing on you, though you can see through it. He's probably talked to every single girl who's walked through this door. 

"What I'm saying is," the boy points to himself, "the shrimp may not need wings to fly, but if you came to just watch him, then you're getting way more than you'll ever expect. He's not the only superstar on the team."

Suddenly, you remember the buzz-cut's name, and in spite of yourself, you shout it out like an epiphany.

"Tanaka!"

At the exact same time he shouts for someone else.

"Kiyoko!"

And just like that, he's gone, running towards a dark haired beauty. Perhaps his eyes shine for only one, after all.

You giggle as the girl ignores him, but Tanaka showers her with compliments anyways. Another shorter boy joins Tanaka, and they join together to try to swoon the girl. 

Then you spot the other boy from the market; tall, dark hair. Was his name Kageyama? He probably knows where Shoyo is.

You walk up to him, tapping him on the shoulder. He swivels around, a glare on his face.

You retreat.

Instead you head to the place where you saw Hinata earlier, in the midst of the group of boys. They all wear matching jerseys and chattering excitedly. You recognize some voices from the gym that day.

You back away, suddenly feeling small compared to the tall and intimidating Karasuno players. One has a bun in his hair, and for a second you think he's an adult, then realize he probably isn't. Why would he be wearing a jersey?

You wander to a rather secluded part of the stands, eager to watch the game start. Soon enough, the players take their places on the court, and you see Shoyo's mop of bright orange hair bounce excitedly. He's in the front row, right in the middle.

The game starts, and Nekoma serves first. You don't really pay attention to the rival team, but rather the Karasuno boys. The rest of the team shouts and cheers when someone in an orange jersey gets the ball in the air.

The dark haired boy, Kageyama, gets it next, sending it flying through the air.

Then--

SLAM.

\--Shoyo is in the air, and the ball hits the ground in an instant, slamming against the court floor.

Your eyes widen, and you find yourself cheering with the crowd, standing and clapping.

He was flying.

✿


	7. The Beginning

After the match, you run up to Shoyo, disappointed that they lost but still in wonder. 

"You came!" He says, a smile on his sweaty face.

"And you were amazing!" You say, fighting the urge to hug him. "You were, like, flying!"

"Yeah, but it still wasn't enough to beat them," he whines, looking disappointed.

"You'll get 'em next time, don't worry," you assure him, but then his eyes light up at the sight of something behind you. You turn around. Someone behind you.

A boy in a red and black Nekoma jersey. His hair is about jaw length, dyed blond with dark roots. He gives Shoyo a little wave.

"Kenma you were great!" Shoyo tells him.

The boy--Kenma--nods. "You were too."

"But," Shoyo says, clenching his fist, "we'll win next time."

A boy with a blond mohawk pats Kenma on the shoulder, coming out of nowhere. 

"We'll see about that," he says, then glares at Shoyo, "but what business do you have with our setter?"

You stand awkwardly in the middle of the two, and Kenma sighs. 

Tanaka, one of the Karasuno boys, claps Shoyo on the back. 

"Oh, yeah?" Tanaka says, glaring at the Nekoma boy, "what business do you have with Hinata and his girlfriend?"

You blush, looking at Shoyo as he stutters. His teammate and the Nekoma boy ignore you both, continuing to bicker.

"Yamamoto!" Someone shouts angrily.

A short boy in a Nekoma outfit grabs the taller one by the shirt and drags him away, scolding him the whole time. Kenma follows the pair, giving Shoyo one last wave.

At the same time, someone pats Tanaka on the back. It's a silver haired boy that you haven't seen before, but he's wearing a Karasuno jersey with the number 2.

"You don't want me to get Daichi, do you?" He threatens, gripping Tanaka by the collar.

The two walk away, leaving you and Shoyo alone.

"Is it always so crazy around here?" You joke.

"You'd be surprised," Hinata shivers, the threat of someone named Daichi still hanging in the air. You wonder who he is.

"I'd better get home," you say, suddenly overcome by the feeling something could be wrong at home. Shoyo nods.

"I can walk you again!" He suggests enthusiastically. After saying so, he blushes, as if realizing how happy he sounded.

"That'd be nice," you smile, feeling a blush creep onto your face. 

You wait for Shoyo as grabs his jacket and says bye to his teammates. 

"Don't you dare be late for practice tomorrow," a brown-haired boy says, and by the way Shoyo nods before walking away, you assume that the boy was Daichi.

Shoyo's wearing his black Karasuno jacket, paired with some black joggers. He looks comfy. You're jealous, and cold.

The gym door opens, letting in a gust of freezing air. You shiver, feeling goosebumps rise on your skin.

You walk with him, grabbing your bike and walking down the sidewalk. To distract yourself from the cold, you start a conversation.

"So," you say, "is your coach nice?"

"Hmm," Shoyo hums, looking at his hands, "he's cool. He's got this shop where he gives us food sometimes."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he smiles, "and he's Coach Ukai's grandson! Even though his name is Ukai too, his shop is called Sakanoshita. It would probably be more popular if he called it--"

"Your coach owns Sakanoshita?" You say in surprise. 

"Mhm," Shoyo confirms.

So the blond guy at the counter is Karasuno's coach? How did you not know that?

You drop your bike, maybe kinda forgetting it was in your hands. It clatters to to ground, the wheels spinning.

"Oh," you say.

"Oh!" Shoyo says.

You both kneel down to pick it up, but on the journey down, you bump foreheads.

"S-sorry!" You say, standing back up.

"I-I'm sorry!" Shoyo says, picking up your bike. You take it, avoiding his eyes.

"Aw man," the tangerine-haired boy tilts his head, "does it hurt? I'm sorry. There's a red mark."

"It's fine, really," you smile. "It was my fault anyways."

Suddenly you remember the packet of band-aids you got for him. You fumble for your hoodie pocket, searching inside for the package. 

They're gone.

You must look really disappointed, because Shoyo notices, frowning. "What's wrong?"

You take your hands out of your pocket, giving up on the search. 

"I got you some band-aids," you explain, "but I guess they fell out of my pocket."

"Why?"

"Because you've been wearing that same one for, like, two days," you giggle, "it's not good for your skin, ya know."

He blushes, pointing to the bandage on his face. "Oh, I-I guess you're right." He looks up, then points across the street. "Hey, we could grab some from Sakanoshita if you feel bad about it."

"Really, it's fine," you insist, wondering if the store's even open, "the lights are even off. We'd just be a bother."

"You're right," Shoyo sighs, and for a second, you feel like he just wanted an excuse to be with you longer. "Maybe another time?"

You smile. "Yeah. Maybe another time."

And so you walk home, bike in hand, and you can't seem to shake off the feeling that this is only the beginning. 

For what? You don't know.

But your heart says it's something grand.

✿


	8. The Rain

Bad things happen to good people. 

Good things happen to bad people.

That's how it works. 

You've always known that. Everybody knows that.

But even knowing that the worse is yet to come, knowing that bad things happen? It didn't prepare you for what you saw when you got home.

Right after you were so sure your life was turning around.

Shoyo's phone kept ringing, and his parents called him home, so he left you. 

You dearly wish he hadn't. When you got home, the door was open.

The door you locked. You're sure you locked it. The only person with another key is your grandmother.

You run inside, heart pounding, not bothering to close the door hanging open. 

The house looks the same as you left it, but Grandma's bed is unmade. And there's no Grandma. 

You spot some dirt on the floor and a track of footprints. A burglar? Would Grandma leave the house?

Your eyes flick around the house, landing on the window that leads to the garden.

The garden.

You run out of the front again, sweat coating your skin despite the cool night air. You look up at the sky, full of dark gray clouds and stars. It's about to rain, but you don't care.

The garden looks normal, but the tallest sunflower is drooping. Your prize winner. His petals are gray.

You run up to it and see your grandma sitting at the base, her small frame curled on the cool dirt.

"G-Grandma?" You whisper and sit next to her.

She looks at you, her face pale.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She says, referring to the drooping flower.

"Y-yes, Grandma. What are you doing out here?"

She sighs. "I can feel it. I'm nearing my end. But so is he."

Your eyes start to tear up and you wipe your face. "Grandma, if you feel bad, let's go to the hospital. Please."

You know she'll refuse, but you asked anyway. You try to grab her hand, but she shakes her head, a cough ripping from her lungs.

"He's dying too. I want to die with him. Such a beautiful flower," she says, stroking the stem of the sunflower. 

"I remember planting it with you, way back when. I remember it like yesterday," she smiles, "Darling, please, when I'm gone, don't worry. Just replant the dead flowers. Replant them with someone you love."

The clouds let loose, and your tears fall in sync with the rain.

✿

Grandma died that night.

It's been two weeks since she passed, and you're not sure what to do. A social worker has started visiting you and looking for someone to take care of you until you turn eighteen.

Should you go to school? Get a job?

You don't need to take care of anyone anymore, so you have more time on your hands. But you wish you didn't. You would've sacrificed everything for her. If only she had just lived a little while longer.

Her funeral was small. It was just you and Kiara, the nice social worker who's been helping you. She didn't stay long, though, because she felt like she was "intruding". But more than anything, you didn't want to be alone.

You sigh and continue shopping, heading home a while later.

The house looks the same. You couldn't bare to change anything.

The garden has been doing well, but just like Grandma said, the drooping sunflower died the morning after her. The same sunflower you planted together.

The same sunflower that made Shoyo's eyes spark in admiration.

You miss him. You haven't gone anywhere since she died, and you've ignored all the knocks on the door. Kiara is the only other person who has a key to your house now, since she's acting as your temporary guardian.

She's nice enough, and she gives you space. But honestly? She's just a reminder that everything is changing. Your life is falling apart.

You curl up on your lawn, your eyes glued to the spot where the sunflower used to be. Where . . . where she died. 

You want to be everything but alone right now.

And like he read your mind, he showed up.

"Hey," you hear a familiar voice behind you.

Shoyo.

"I brought you something."

You turn around to see the orange haired boy holding a pot with a young sunflower in it. His clothes are all dirty and his face is too. His eyes are alive, wide with innocence and concern.

His bike is behind him, leaning against a streetlight.

"Wh-why did you. . . ?" You begin to ask, but your voice falls short. You feel like you're going to cry again, but your tears have run dry.

He smiles and holds out the pot. "I thought that maybe we could plant it together!"

"Just replant the dead flowers. Replant them with someone you love."

You blush remembering your Grandma's words.

Someone you love.

Shoyo has certainly grown on you, and you did care for him very much . . .

. . . but love? Do you love him?

The way his eyes shined when he talked about volleyball. The silly way he would always argue with Kageyama. How he always tried his hardest to win.

And how he's here, now, caring for you, when he doesn't even know what's wrong.

You get up and hug him, and his eyes widen in shock. You can feel the heat from his cheeks, and you know he's blushing.

"Thank you, Shoyo," you whisper to the boy.

"Haha, it was nothing . . ." he nervously laughs.

I love you.

You want to tell him so bad. But you don't.

Because you want to save those words. Because he deserves them, so you have to save them. You haven't spoke those words to anyone in so long.

He squirms from your grasp and runs to your garden, carrying the pot with him.

"Come on! Let's make it grow big and tall!" He excitedly says, setting the pot down.

I love you, Shoyo.

It feels so good to love someone again. To have someone that makes you happy. So you must make him happy.

"Yeah! We'll make it super tall!" You say to him, matching his energy, "Taller than any other sunflower in the world!"

You run to him, remembering something your Grandma used to tell you.

Love, Darling, is the most precious fertilizer there is. It can make something grow twice as tall, and sometimes, it can even make them fall.

But love as much as you can. Find the flowers in your life and love them.

And as you stare at the flower before you that some would call Hinata, you promise her.

I will never stop loving, Grandma. I'll love as much as I can.

I promise.

✿


	9. Pros & Cons

"I understand," says the lady, who clearly does not understand, "you've lived with your grandmother for so long and now she's gone. It's a hard thing to go through, I'm sure."

You nod, despite the sudden urge to run away. 

You're in your house, and, since you're not eighteen yet, it's not even really yours. You're speaking to a social worker, who's trying to convince you to go to school. 

Her hair is in a tight bun and she's wearing round glasses. Honestly, she looks like a young librarian, and you can't help the fact you've already forgotten her name. Her face looks like a rat's

"I want you to make a list," Rat-Face smiles, handing you a piece of paper and a pencil, "a list of pros and cons about going to school."

You take the paper from her and set it on the table, quickly making a t-chart and labeling one side 'pros' and one side 'cons'. 

Cons: 

People.

Expectations.

You'd be alone. And judged.

And you'd probably not know anything about everything, and you'd--

The social worker stops you, sensing your cons list is going to go on forever. She sighs. 

"Try to think positively," she suggests, giving you back he pencil and pointing to the pros side of the list.

Pros? 

uuuuhh . . . .

Rat-Face pushes up her glasses. "It can't be that hard. Imagine the friends you'll make."

She uses future-tense, suggesting that you're going to go to school no matter how long your cons list is. You're not surprised.

She takes the list from you, writing down a few things of her own.

Pros: 

People.

Something to look forward to.

You glare at what she wrote. There's a reason you put people on your cons list. 

She just smiles.

You continue the list, only to make her hopefully go away:

Something to focus on.

Get an education.

A chance to grow.

You smile at that last one, knowing that'll get you off of the hook, although you have no intention of growing or changing or whatever. 

You have changed in one way, though: ever since Grandma died, you've become colder than you normally were. 

She balanced you out. Now the scale is sideways, and you have no one to release your anger on. Except for Rat-Face, who won't leave you alone and who probably doesn't even care.

Deep, deep, deep down you want to stop. You want to just cry.

But instead you sigh and glare at the social worker.

✿

Ah, the garden. The only place where you still feel a hint of normalcy, although nothing will ever be normal again. And just like clockwork, he shows up.

Every day at the exact same time.

"Heyo!" Shoyo chirps, and your mood immediately lifts, and the sun shines just a little brighter. 

He skips over to where you're standing in the garden, eyeing the sunflower you planted together. It's grown a little taller now, and it reaches just above his knees.

He grins. "It's getting there."

You nod. 

Shoyo frowns, probably sensing that you're gloomier than usual. "So," he says, "how's everything?"

He knows about Grandma and Rat-Face, so you don't have to explain that much.

"She wants me to go to school again," you say, referring to the social worker that was assigned to you. Shoyo tilts his head.

"That's actually a great idea!" He encourages you. "You could go to Karasuno with me! Then you wouldn't be alone!"

Your heart lightens at the thought. If you went to Karasuno, then you would at least know Shoyo and the volleyball club. 

He always finds a way to make you feel better.

"You're right," you smile, standing up, "I'll actually consider it."

Shoyo does a little victory dance, and you laugh. "C'mon, let's water the plants."

Shoyo grabs the hose and fills up the bucket you're holding. He tries to turn the spigot, but it doesn't budge. 

He grunts, turning it harder. You giggle. "Here, let me."

You put your hand on his, leaning over to reach the spigot. Together it turns, and water comes out of the hose, filling your bucket.

Only when you look up do you realize how close you are to Shoyo. 

His face is red, so it seems he noticed also. The spark in his eyes makes you blush too, and you back away quickly. 

"Th-there we go," you stutter, holding the bucket for it to be filled. "It was just stuck."

Shoyo laughs nervously. "Y-yeah, thanks."

He clutches the hose in his hand, and leans towards you. His face grows closer every second.

His cheeks are red, and for a second, you think he's going to kiss you.

But then he sprays you in the face with the hose.

✿


	10. Find Me

"You're soaked!" You laugh, pointing at Shoyo who is, indeed, soaked.

After he sprayed you with the hose, you used what you had, and you just happened to be holding a bucket that he filled with water.

Unfortunately, he's still holding a running hose, and as soon as you close your eyes you're getting sprayed again.

"Payback!" He says, laughing.

"You started it!" You reply, searching for something to fight back.

Your hair is wet and matted, sticking to your also wet face. The sun smiles down on you both, as if watching your water-fight. 

You run to the other side of the house, where you keep the rest of your buckets and watering cans. Shoyo can't follow you there.

"Aw, don't run away!" He calls, taunting you.

You grin, grabbing two other buckets filled to the brim. And instead of going back around the front of the house where Shoyo is waiting, you sneak around the back for a sneak attack.

As expected, he's waiting for you to come around the front, and he doesn't see you come up behind him. 

You dump both buckets of water on him at once, and he shrieks, dropping the hose. You laugh, running around him and turning off the water. 

He sits in the wet puddles, defeated. You stand over him, grinning.

"Well, well, well." You giggle, leaning down to his face, "don't start fights you can't win, Shoyo."

He smirks. 

Then spews water at you from his mouth.

"Ew!" You laugh, falling backwards into the puddle with him.

He laughs hysterically, and you join him, splashing him with the dirty puddle water. He splashes you back. 

"Ah it got in my mouth," he coughs, wiping his face. 

You giggle. "We should probably go clean up."

Shoyo nods, smiling. "Yeah, my parents probably won't be too happy."

You feel that familiar heavy feeling, as if something is pressing on your chest. You imagine Shoyo getting yelled at because of you. Dang it.

"Do you want to take a shower?" You blurt.

Shoyo blinks, his cheeks turning a pale pink. Your face matching his, you quickly make a clarification. "N-not, like, together or anything--"

"Yeah, sure," he interrupts, probably sensing the awkward silence ahead. "I should clean up before I go home. But really, you wouldn't mind me using your shower?"

You smile. "It's fine. I live alone now, anyways, so you'd have your privacy."

You suppress a blush. The heavy feeling is gone, but now it's replaced with a fluttering feeling in your stomach. What the heck?

Shoyo stands up, offering you his hand. You take it, and at the contact, your heart pounds. 

What is wrong with you today?

✿

Shoyo is in the shower, and the running water covers the sound of you cooking up a snack. It's the least you could do after everything.

You picked some strawberries from the garden, and you're currently attempting to make strawberry muffins. It's . . . not going too well. Let's just say Grandma usually did the cooking, and even when she didn't, you bought most of your food from Sakanoshita. 

You listen as the water stops, and Shoyo opens the door. He must've taken a really hot shower, because his hair is steamy. He's drying off with the towel you gave him.

You blush.

"Whatcha makin'?" He says, running over to you

You frown. "I tried to make muffins, but I think I might've burned them."

Shoyo laughs. "Might've?"

"Oh yeah?" You counter. "Let's see you do better."

Let's just say Shoyo didn't even know how to start, and almost ended up putting muffin batter in the toaster. Thankfully you stopped him.

"How about we do it together?" You say, taking the batter from him.

He nods, picking up the sugar bag and grabbing some strawberries. 

"Let's do this."

✿

"There we go," Shoyo says, triumphant, "now we wait."

The strawberry muffins are in the oven, but only after your struggle to make them. As Shoyo watches the muffins cook through the oven window, you go to the bathroom to wash your hands. You got sugar all over them.

You turn on the sink, letting cold water run over your hands. When you look in the mirror, Shoyo's sloppy handwriting meets your eyes. You smile.

The mirror is coated in steam from the shower, and written in bubbly letters is a thank you, accompanied by a smiley face.

✿


	11. Can't Help Falling in Love

You hand Shoyo the plastic container and watch as his faces lights up. Inside is a dozen of the strawberry muffins you both made together, and, although they weren't the best tasting, they were fun to make. Really, that's all that matters.

"Thank you!" He says, giving you a bow.

"You helped make them, so you deserve some payment," you reply, blushing, "it's only fair."

Plus, you made way too many muffins, so someone should help you eat them. 

"See you later!" Shoyo says, waving, "I'm sure everyone will like them!"

You wave at him. 

Wait, everyone? He's going to share them.

You smile at the thought of little orange-haired Shoyo, sharing some too-sugary strawberry muffins with his classmates. 

You go back inside, glad that Shoyo helped you clean up the muffin mess; it would have taken forever had he not been there. 

A knock on the door makes you sigh, but then you find yourself hoping it's Shoyo, come back to chat some more. You eagerly open the door, but you're not met with a face you wanted to see today.

It's none other than Rat-Face, the social worker assigned to you. With her pointed nose and stern eyes, you feel like she can see right through you.

"Who was that boy?" She says, showing no emotion in her voice.

You shrink back into your home, and she pushes past you into the kitchen, sniffing the air. "And that smell?" She adds.

You sigh. "He was no one. We just made some muffins."

"You should be going to school and studying, not making pastries. You're going to be so behind when you go back, they're probably going to have to put you in some supplementary classes," Rat-Face snaps, probably not intending to sound so harsh, but failing.

You sit down on your couch, pouting. "Muffins aren't pastries."

The social worker sighs. "Please just listen. I know it's been hard, but you have to learn and grow if you're ever going to get a job. The money your grandmother left you won't last forever."

"I don't even know what to call you," you scoff, "and yet you're lecturing me about learning and growing and becoming an adult."

She sits down beside you, giving you a sincere smile. "You can call me Kyuen."

You sit up straighter. "Kyuen. That means relief."

Kyuen chuckles softly, her face softening at the sound of her given name. "Well, my parents had me during some very hard times, so that's what they really needed."

"Wait," you say, tilting your head, "what's your family name?"

"It's Mizaki."

"Mizaki? Like the Mizakis from that explosion twenty-five years ago?"

"Looks like you know some history after all," Kyuen says, looking at her feet. "Yes, the same Mizakis. I was born right after that very incident."

If Kyuen was born then, that means she's much younger than you thought. Suddenly you're very interested in her story. 

"My grandma was there when it happened," you say, leaning forward, "she used to always tell me the stories."

"Really? Although I didn't think it was much to talk about," the social worker says, "my parents were heroes to everyone but me."

Kyuen takes your hands in hers, looking you in the eyes. "Trust me, I know changing is hard. But sometimes it's better to move on. Don't you think your grandma would want you to grow? To go to school?"

You pull your hands from hers, feeling suppressed once again. "I know she would. I know it."

Kyuen frowns, standing up. "Your first day of school will be this Monday. We have supplies and everything already prepared for you, so all you need to do is be ready. You will be attending Karasuno High," she says gently.

It's Saturday. 

You're going to school in two days.

To Karasuno High School.

"Fine." You say.

Kyuen sighs. "Also, please don't get involved with anymore boys. If I see him here again--"

"You're not my mother," you snap, still having mixed feelings about the social worker. "I can't help it. I'm a teenager. Let me have friends."

You can't help feeling this way about someone. She can't take that away from you.

"Fine." She says, mocking you.

Then she leaves, tossing a uniform on the couch beside you.

✿

You spend that Sunday worrying, like normal, but this week it's more intense. Will people like you? Is everyone there like Shoyo? Will you really be considered stupid?

But what you're really worrying for is your garden. It's been well, but still, you feel like there's an animal lurking, waiting for you to leave so it can feast. 

You're watering some tomatoes when you hear a rustle in the bushes by your house. It's quiet, and you dismiss it at first, but then there's another. It's like the animal, whatever it is, keeps constantly moving. Circling you.

You almost don't hear it because of the running water.

A meow.

You set down your hose and walk over to where you think the sound came from. You push past the bushes, and curled up in a little ball in a pile of dirt . . .

. . . is a little orange kitten.

✿


	12. Masterpiece

You pick up the small animal, and it cuddles in your arms. It's orange, but you can hardly tell because of how dirty it is. It's a little boy, all covered in dirt and grime. A leaf sits on his head, and you blow it away.

It's a kitten; probably abandoned or a runaway. It's awfully quiet though.

You handle him carefully, wiping the grime and dirt off of his fur. When you walk inside, it only looks around, still not meowing or making a noise. 

You hold it with one hand and turn on the sink with the other. You make sure the water is warm before putting the kitten in it. 

It doesn't freak out, but it sits. You laugh.

"You're such a weirdo," you say, petting it. You take a peek at its butt. It's a boy.

"You're a little Henjin," you coo, softly scrubbing the dirt off of the kitten's fur. It seems to enjoy the attention and little bath; it's purring and doesn't protest.

"Henjin, Henjin, Henjin~" You hum in a sing-song voice. The kitten looks up at you in awe.

Once Henjin is all clean, you set him in a bundle of blankets, letting him shake off the water. He seemed to enjoy it, despite the reputation cats have.

As you pet it, you hear a car drive into your driveway.

Oh no.

It's Rat-Face. Kyuen.

She definitely won't let you keep Henjin. 

You quickly scoop him up and wrap him in blankets, but before you can do anything else, Kyuen knocks on the door. Henjin squirms in your arms.

"Shh, little kitty," you whisper, then go to open the door for Kyuen, still holding the bundle of blankets.

The social worker comes inside, glancing at the pile in your arms. 

"So," she says, lifting a brow, "What are you doing?"

"Just . . . Just about to do some laundry." You chuckle nervously, gesturing to the blankets in your arms. 

Kyuen smiles. "That's good. I came over to bring you your stuff for school tomorrow."

Your heart drops. You forgot about that.

Kyuen pulls a backpack off of her shoulder: it's a plain black one with a silver zipper. 

"I didn't know what you would like, so I just picked something simple," she says, and you can tell she really tried. "Everything you need is inside, so all you have to do tomorrow is put your uniform on and bike to the school. Here's your schedule and a map."

She hands you some papers, gives you a little lecture, then finally decides it's time for her to leave. Before shutting the door, though, she takes one last look at you. "Have a good day," she sighs, then leaves.

You free Henjin from the blankets, and he jumps to the couch, already treating the place like his home. He curls up and lays down, immediately falling asleep.

What a weirdo.

You leave him in the house, locking the door and heading to Sakanoshita. If you're going to keep Henjin, then he needs some food. 

You hop on your bike and ride there. Once you hop off, the store is open, even on a Sunday. You happily skip inside, a warm feeling in your chest at the thought of having a pet.

The bell above the door chimes when you enter, and you immediately go to the front desk. 

Ukai is there, singing to himself, and seems to not have noticed you. You tap on the desk, tilting your head.

Ukai jumps, his cigarette falling out of his mouth. Once he sees it's you, he exhales, a hand on his chest. "You're gonna give me a heart attack, kid."

"Sorry," you say, "but I was wondering if you have any cat food?"

You clutch the money in your hand, placing it on the table. 

"Whatever this much will buy."

Ukai looks at the money, then sighs. He reaches behind him then puts a big bag of cat food on the counter. "Here ya go, kid."

You glance at the price tag. It almost costs twice as much money you put on the table.

"I can't pay-" You start, but Ukai stops you.

"Just take it."

You bow, thanking him and thanking him until he gets annoyed and tells you that you can leave now. You give him a wave, smiling. "Thank you again, sir!"

He waves you off, picking up his cigarette from the floor.

You hop on your bike, holding the bag in your lap. It has a smiling cat on the front and looks expensive. Hopefully Henjin likes it.

You ride home, the breeze blowing in your face, trying not to drop the bag of cat food.

✿


	13. Restart

You open the door, the sound of the hinges creaking the only thing filling your ears. Your house is silent.

You walk inside, holding the bag of cat food in your arms. Henjin waddles up to you, already acting like the perfect house kitten.

You get a small bowl from the kitchen and pour some of the food inside, setting both the bag and the bowl down. Henjin runs over and, thankfully, seems to enjoy it.

You go to your bedroom and lay out the clothes for tomorrow. The uniform is simple, but you do have to wear a skirt, which will probably be awkward. 

You lay down on your bed, the covers enveloping your body. A bit later, Henjin joins you, and you giggle. 

"Is this karma because I didn't buy you a bed?" You ask him, petting his little orange head. 

He only curls up beside you, purring.

You drift off to sleep, your dreams full of kitten purrs and the first day of school that awaits you.

✿

"It's a restart. A new day," You say to yourself in the mirror, "Grandma would be proud. I'm going to school again."

Henjin cuddles in your arms, getting hair all over your new uniform. 

"Tsk tsk," you hum, putting the cat down, "take care of yourself Henjin. Don't get in trouble, okay?"

Henjin only head-butts your leg. You sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

You grab your backpack, surprised at how heavy it is. You clench your schedule in your hand, taking a deep breath.

You take one last look at your house, no Henjin in sight. He must've run off. You sigh, closing and locking the door behind you. 

You hop on your bike and ride to school.

✿

Meow.

The sound makes you stop.

You're outside of Karasuno High School, ready to go to your first class. But then you hear a meow.

. . . and it's coming from your backpack.

You decide to ignore it and head inside, sure you're brain is playing tricks on you. Henjin is at home. 

Right?

You shake your head. Of course. 

The door opens and you head inside, your heart pounding. People swarm around the halls, heading to their classes and not even noticing you. You sigh in relief.

Your first class. 

The horror of the world. The root of all evil.

Math class.

You push open the door, and take in the classroom. A middle-aged man sits at a desk at the front of the room, and students bustle around, talking amongst themselves. 

And you spot a head of orange hair, sitting alone in the corner of the class. Shoyo!

Before you can head over to him, though, the teacher stands up, clapping his hands. 

"Look who it is!" He says. "Class, our new student!"

Everyone turns and stares at you. You shudder, your heartbeat erratic. "Hi," you mutter, turning to the teacher. "Wh-where do I sit?"

The teacher waves his hand. "Wherever you choose. I'm Mr. Nakamura, your math teacher for this year."

You bow to him and go to sit down, heading over to Shoyo. He waves at you, a huge smile on his face. You sit in the desk next to him, smiling.

"You came to school?" He asks, resting his chin on his hands.

"Yep," you smile, "I wanted to restart."

"A restart," Shoyo smiles, "sounds nice."

You set down your backpack, but when it touches the floor, a mew comes from the bag. Your eyes widen.

"H-hey Shoyo," you say nervously, "are cats allowed at school?"

He tilts his head. "No, wh-?"

Henjin pops his head out of your bag, staring at Shoyo. He hops out, and you try to grab him, but he curls up at Shoyo's feet. 

Shoyo giggles, picking up the cat and hiding him in a jacket.

"I didn't know you had a cat!" he whispers, "but why'd you bring it to school?"

"I didn't mean to," you reply, zipping up your bag. What are you supposed to do?

Well, that explains why your bag was so heavy earlier. 

"Here," you say, putting out your arms, "give him to me."

Shoyo hands Henjin over, and you make a little bed for him in your backpack. Since he's small it's perfect, but hopefully he doesn't get hungry. You zip it up, leaving a little hole so he doesn't get hot.

"I'll give you your jacket back at the end of the day." You tell Shoyo, smiling at him. He gives you a thumbs up. 

"It's fine," he tells you, "let's just hope we're not caught."

"Caught," a voice says, "doing what?"

It's Mr. Nakamura, with his arms crossed, staring down at you.

✿


End file.
